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Melanie Rawn’s Touchstone is the first book in her planned GLASS THORNS trilogy. Unfortunately, it was a struggle to get through and I finished it with little interest in continuing the story, though it did pick up a bit toward the end.
Touchstone is sort of The Commitments meets Dragon Realm. In Rawn’s world, the major form of entertainment is a sort of theatrical performance which makes use of magic to convey a more full sensory and emotional experience.
February 28th, 2012. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2 | Melanie Rawn | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel
Jean M. Auel‘s Earth’s Children is one of those series that people often say you should stop reading after the first book. I’m generally too curious about the sequel to follow that advice, so naturally I’ve read all six. Most of them are entertaining at some level but none of them are anywhere near as good as the first book. After the huge success of The Clan of The Cave Bear (1980), Auel produced two sequels relatively quickly,
February 24th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 2 | Jean M. Auel | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick
Hush, Hush would be better as a horror novel. It’s the story of Nora, who is sexually harassed in school while her teacher stands by and allows it to happen. Then she learns that several supernatural beings are trying to kill her. There’s no one she can trust, not even her best friend. Becca Fitzpatrick sets all of this against a gloomy, rainy Maine backdrop. Spooky stuff, right? The problem is, it’s not intended primarily as horror but as paranormal romance — and Nora’s love interest,
February 22nd, 2012. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 2 | Becca Fitzpatrick | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 9 comments |
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Grace Divine has a nice stable life. She’s the daughter of the local Protestant pastor, her parents are supportive and loving, and she adores her big brother Jude. She’s got a great best friend and she loves studying art at her high school.
Everything is going well until Daniel, Grace’s childhood friend and first crush, moves back to town. Last time she saw him, three years ago, he’d had a fight with Jude, who was his best friend. Jude was badly hurt when Grace found him covered in blood in the front yard.
February 21st, 2012. Kat Hooper´s rating: 2 | Bree Despain | Audio, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Secrets of the Cave by Phillipa Bowers
The loveliest image in Phillipa Bowers’s The Secrets of the Cave is the form of a woman, carved into the rock of the cave by the flow of the spring waters. At her feet, the pure water gathers in a pool lined with pink and red crystals. The water looks blood-red because of those crystals. The Lady in the cave is never described but frequently evoked in this book, which follows a young woman in England from 1930 until the end of World War II.
February 21st, 2012. Marion Deeds´s rating: 2 | Phillipa Bowers | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Graham Masterton is relatively unknown in the United States except among the horror cognoscenti. Although he’s written or edited more than 20 books, he is mostly known in his native England. He can write a slick little work of horror like House of Bones and make it haunt you no matter where you live, though; there’s something about the idea of being pulled right through the walls or floor of your home that can make anyone shudder. It would be nice if he were better known in these parts.
February 13th, 2012. Terry Weyna´s rating: 2 | Graham Masterton | Horror | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Joseph Nassise’s THE TEMPLAR CHRONICLES series features a modern-day Knights Templar organization that battles the supernatural bad guys of the world. Its hero, Cade Williams, is a member of the Templars but has an uncanny reputation among the order for his psychic abilities. The Heretic is the first in the series and revolves around a cabal of sorcerers who is attacking Templar commanderies, slaughtering the members, and desecrating the cemeteries in search of a holy relic. Cade and his unit are assigned to the problem.
February 3rd, 2012. Kelly Lasiter´s rating: 2 | Joseph Nassise | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Black Trillium by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Julian May, Andre Norton
At first glance, Black Trillium looks like an interesting project: three leading female authors of speculative fiction — Marion Zimmer Bradley, Julian May and Andre Norton — writing a book together. After having read it, I don’t think the result is a resounding success. It still spawned a total of four sequels written by each of the authors individually. I understand there are some continuity issues between those books,
January 28th, 2012. Rob Weber´s rating: 2 | Andre Norton, Julian May, Marion Zimmer Bradley | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |
Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert & Kevin J. Anderson
Sisterhood of Dune is the latest installment by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson in the add-ons to Frank Herbert’s classic DUNE series. To be honest, I gave up on the series after The Battle of Corrin — the third book in the opening LEGENDS OF DUNE group — after it continued a downward spiral from a solid if not inspiring book one (The Butlerian Jihad).
January 27th, 2012. Bill Capossere´s rating: 2 | Brian Herbert, Frank Herbert, Kevin J. Anderson | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Dragon DelaSangre by Alan F. Troop
Peter DelaSangre is a dragon. Yes, he looks human; that’s because dragons are shapeshifters. And he appreciates a lot about the human race, including such things as television, music, and women — but he probably appreciates the way they taste most of all. Because for dragons, humans are prey, and nothing else will really do, at least not in the long run.
Alan F. Troop’s protagonist in his first novel, The Dragon DelaSangre, is therefore not a likeable character.
January 20th, 2012. Terry Weyna´s rating: 2 | Alan F. Troop | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Do it! One of the best things I've read in recent years.
This reminds me. I want to read Addie LaRue.
We’re in total agreement David!
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.